Premonitions

In two weeks she had her last performance at The Pact. There already was another actress to replace her. Her colleagues and friends at the company threw her a goodbye party on her last day. Already missing the place and the people she shared 3 years of her career, she said her goodbyes, ready for her new life.

A few days later she drove to Hollywood for an informal meeting with all the cast members and the crew. The day before she had the final tryouts of her character's wardrobe.

She parked her car next to a red, luxurious Lexus. A man in a fedora hat, a button down shirt and ripped jeans got out from the passenger seat and seeing her, he smiled. She recognized the man as being her co-star, Johnny Depp, and smiled too. He closed his car's door and walked to where Eleanor was parking her blue Mini Cooper. She got out of her car and closed the door.

“Hi Eleanor! How've you been?” he greeted.

“Johnny! I'm great, but I'm starting to get nervous. How 'bout you?”

“I'm fine, thanks. Filming with Tim always gets me in the merriest of the moods. Ready to meet everyone?”

“Yeah, I just hope they're as nice as they appear.”

“And they are, trust me. Shall we get going?”

They start walking to the big warehouse on front of them, Eleanor following Johnny's lead, a nervousness building inside her as it got closer. A security guy at the door let them go inside. Eleanor had never been on a studio like that before and it seemed huge at her first sight. There was a big green screen and built in scenarios in which a few people were doing some final arrangements. Some steady cams were already in place. The director's and the producers' chairs were there as well. Johnny sees her directioning her look at the chairs and points to the chair next to the one that had his name on.

“See that chair next to mine? That's your chair, your name's on it.”

“I get a chair? And next to yours?”- she inquires, looking dumbstruck.

“Yep, you do. You're a fucking movie star from now on. Better get used to that, baby. I so hate that status, you know?”

“I don't think I'm gonna like it either... Just thinking of the paparazzi wrecks on my nerves!- she grimaced at that exact thought.

“Don't need to be thinking of that right now, though. Let's go.”- he tried to take her mind of that kind of thought and lead her outside the studio. Everyone was under a big white tent, where tables with food and drinks were. She met and chatted with all the cast members including Keira Knightly, Christopher Walken, Alan Rickman and Jackson Rathbone, with Johnny never leaving her side. She got really impressed with Keira as she wasn't cocky, vain or arrogant as she's thought she was. She was nothing like her Elizabeth Swann character. She was really sweet and gracious.

Eleanor and Johnny were carelessly chatting with each other, sitting and eating from the plates in their laps when Tim Burton and Helena Bonham-Carter arrived. Everyone looked at the pair and they greet everyone with a little wave of the hand and a few smiles. Later, Tim announced he's giving a short welcoming speech and everyone took a seat. Johnny, who was chatting animatedly with Alan Rickman and Christopher Walken, returned to his seat next to Eleanor's. Eleanor was again staring at Johnny for the millionth time that afternoon when he caught her. She briefly maintained the eye contact before looking away. She couldn't refrain herself from looking at him every now and them. He was being so nice with her and all that. The Depp effect hadn't left her senses when she heard a throat clearing sound. She woke up from her trance and turned to where the sound came from. Tim was starting his speech.

“Good afternoon, everyone. As y'all know I'm gonna be your director for the next 3 months in your life. I hope every single of you are as excited as I am with this movie. We've got a wonderful script and above all, a fantastic cast. We have a newbie in the biz, Eleanor Parker, our Violet Landbury. Though she may be a stranger to all this, she's no deprived of an enormous talent,natural instinct and amazing acting skills. She's been working with a semi-pro theater company and she has quit just to be a part of this. So, thank you, Eleanor!”

She got up from her seat and thanked Tim for his kind words and everyone clapped their hands enthusiastically.

“Thank y'all for coming. Please enjoy the rest of the afternoon and tomorrow be here at 9.30a.m for our first day of shooting.”- Tim finished his speech.

Eleanor and Johnny spent sometime talking with Tim and Helena, mostly about funny situations during the shootings. Time fled and then it was time for everyone to leave. It was getting dark outside by then and the four of them were the last ones there. They said their good-byes and Eleanor and Johnny walked to their cars, which were parked next to one another.

“You were right, Johnny. Everyone's so nice.”- she told him.

“I told you they were. Ready for the first day of shooting?”

“Yeah, I think I am. I'm gonna go through to tomorrow's scenes when I get home, though.”

“If you need any help with it, I'm going to be here earlier tomorrow. Just look around for me and I'll help you.”- he offered.

“OK, thanks. See you in the morning then.”- she said, taking her place on the driver's seat.

“Bye”- he said, flashing her a toothy grin. She revved the engine and took off, watching through the mirror as he drove away.

Arriving at her small yet cozy apartment she fixed her dinner and ate by herself. She spent the rest of the evening reading the next day's scenes. None of them with Johnny, she noticed, but a few with Keira Knightly. At around midnight she began feeling sleepy and went to bed. Even if she fell asleep easily she spent a very agitated night, waking up several times, sleeping only to dream her usual, recurrent dream.